Now that the New England Patriots are one week into training camp, we are finally starting to get a picture of what their team will look like in 2015.
There are still plenty of unanswered questions, and there’s still plenty of time between now and the regular season for them to find those answers (and even for some of the answers to change).
There’s some danger in making day-to-day and minute-to-minute observations. Jumping to conclusions each day leads to an inevitable roller coaster of highs and lows. Instead of focusing on each individual development as a sign of one thing or another, it’s better to look at the big picture over a period of time that would allow for observations of a bigger body of work.
Here’s a look at some of the things (we think) we have learned through the first week of Patriots practice.

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

We’ve known for a long time that Malcolm Butler and Logan Ryan would be the top two cornerbacks in the secondary. That’s not based on any kind of report or rumor, just common sense. They are the incumbents, and they have the most experience in the Patriots defense.
The rest of the cornerback depth chart has been a question mark, but it appears we are finally getting closer to our answers. Tarell Brown, Robert McClain, Bradley Fletcher and Daxton Swanson (mostly in that order) have been the other cornerbacks earning opportunities to play this summer.
Make no mistake, this year’s secondary will not look much like last year’s group that pulverized opposing receivers and suffocated them with tight man coverage. That being said, there’s no reason this year’s group can’t be effective in its own way, capitalizing on what should be an improved pass rush that will force more errant throws than it has in years past.

Elise Amendola/Associated Press

The Patriots offensive line has been in a state of flux for the past two summers, but it appears they are finally finding some answers.
There’s no doubt that Nate Solder, Sebastian Vollmer (if healthy) and Bryan Stork comprise three of the Patriots’ starting five up front. The only doubt has been at the guard spots. But so far, rookies Tre’ Jackson and Shaq Mason have earned the majority of the snaps in those spots next to Stork and Solder.
The Patriots are still …Read More